Since 2012, Tanoto Foundation has provided mentoring in the Asahan Region, North Sumatra. One of the parties that benefits from it is Sekolah Dasar Swasta/SDS (Private Elementary School) Muara Tiga, Rahuning, Asahan, North Sumatra.

Since the beginning, the school has received a lot of trainings to improve the school’s quality and components, starting from the teachers up to the facilities and infrastructure.

In early March 2018, SDS Muara Tiga had the opportunity to participate in a Quiz Competition (Lomba Cerdas Cermat) held by the Education Office on Kabupaten Asahan’s 72nd birthday. In this competition, SDS Muara Tiga, representing Kecamatan Rahuning, won the second place in the final stage.

This achievement of SDS Muara Tiga is also due to the Tanoto Foundation’s assistance. The concept abbreviated as “Mikir”/mengalami dan mengobservasi, interaksi, komunikasi, dan refleksi (experiencing and observing, interaction, communication, and reflection) that was applied by the Training Specialist of North Sumatera, Mr. Jepri Sipayung, M.Pd., has succeeded in improving the students’ competence in learning.

This learning concept is in line with the value of life-long learning applied by Founders of the Tanoto Foundation, Mr. Sukanto Tanoto and Mrs. Tinah Bingei Tanoto. Learning process that uses the “Mikir” concept will instill in the students the habit of continuous learning and self-capability improvement.

SDS Muara Tiga is proud to be able to apply these values, more so to be one of the excellent schools in Kabupaten Asahan.

Tanoto Foundation is committed to improve the quality of education through the provision of assistance to rural schools. To date, Tanoto Foundation has partnered with more than 506 schools in North Sumatra, Jambi and Riau.

Those of you, observers of the views of big cities in Indonesia, are certainly familiar with buildings such as Ciputra World and Tunjungan Plaza 6 in Surabaya, Central Park and Senayan City in Jakarta, or Trans Studio Complex in Bandung. Yes, these magnificent buildings are the works of Singapore’s leading architect bureau, DP Architects.

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Apparently, among those many classy works there is one Tanoto Scholar Alumni who has participated in the designs. He is Achmad Nanang Maulana, or familiarly called Nanang.

Nanang completed his study at Architecture Study Program of the Institut Teknologi Bandung in 2008. During his study at the ITB, Nanang received Tanoto Foundation scholarship. After graduation, he immediately joined DP Architects.

As a new graduate, it was certainly not easy for Nanang to enter an international-level architect bureau. But he has made good preparation. He has prepared a portfolio of works by undergoing apprenticeships at several consulting bureaus.

“Before graduating, I have undergone internship programs, one of which was at Urbane in Bandung. From these internship works, I learned a lot about the real world of consulting which has made me ready to take on projects.”

Nanang did not deny that he had to compete with young architects from other countries, given DP Architects’ projects were scattered around the world. According to him, the skills of Indonesian architects are not inferior to those of foreign architects, especially in terms of creativity and graphic design.

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“Our creativity and graphic design skills are above the average of Singaporean architects. However, our weakness usually lies in the lack of presentation skill. Especially in regards new graduates and those who are Javanese, they are usually bashful when speaking in public. The skill that should be honed is presentation skill using English.”

Since 2008, he has been involved in various residential, hotel, commercial and mixed masterplan and architectural projects in Southeast Asia, China, India, Middle East, Turkey and Central Asia.

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The most impressive project for Nanang is his current project, Haliç Tersane, in Istanbul, Turkey. This is a conservation project located in an area with many heritage buildings that will be converted into a world-class tourist destination complex.

“It becomes interesting because I have to study history again. Also, this architecture work requires the exercise of my sensitivity in designing. Unlike the cases with constructing buildings on vacant lands, this project in Istanbul is a new learning experience for me.”

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One point of concern for Nanang in designing any architectural work is to always put in a public space to be utilized by the public jointly and openly.

“Although a building is intended for commercial or private functions, I want it to yet have a part that can be utilized for the wider community.”

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Since September 2017, we, Tanoto Foundation Scholarship recipients who are incorporated in Tanoto Scholars Association (TSA) of Gadjah Mada University, have been running an aquaponics development program in Dusun Kasuran, Desa Margodadi, Kecamatan Seyegan, Kabupaten Sleman, Yogyakarta Province.

The aim of this program is to introduce a new model of farming system that is environmentally friendly. This aquaponics system in simple term involves the conversion of fish waste from the ponds into fertilizers. As such, chemical fertilizers will no longer be used at all in farming.

We find Dusun Kasuran has a great potential for the development of aquaponics system, because in this dusun (hamlet) there are many fish ponds. We have also made an aquaponics installation of easily available materials, such as PVC pipes and plastic buckets.

The result is extremely satisfactory as the tomato plants and sawi hijau (green mustards) we have planted together with the community members thrive.

“We are very pleased with this farming knowledge that we have recently acquired. We also hope that there will be further training on building an aquaponics installation with used materials so that the cost can be cheaper, “said Wartilah, Head of Dusun Kasuran.

The successful implementation of this aquaponics installation will not only affect the Kasuran residents. Some residents of a neighboring dusun (hamlet) are also interested to grow crops with this system. Our next program is to make Kasuran become an aquaponics center and this “virus” of the environmentally friendly farming can spread throughout Desa Margodadi, even in neighboring villages.